Belitšev said Russia has deliberately eased entry requirements and increased flights from countries like Ethiopia. Its ally Belarus facilitates onward travel to Europe. Travel is organized right up to the EU border and can cost up to €10,000 per person.

Estonia does not border Belarus. Latvia does. Most of the nearly 200 illegal migrants apprehended in Estonia since summer came via that route.

Estonia has a population of 1.3 million. Ethiopia has 130 million. More than a million refugees from neighboring countries live there.

Speaking to "Esimene stuudio," Belitšev said six direct flights a week operate between Ethiopia and Moscow, with no Russian visa required. Passengers intend to reach the EU.

"The Russian Federation has deliberately made entry requirements significantly easier for these countries and increased the frequency of flights," Belitšev said.

From Moscow, people travel by bus to Belarus. The authorities there make no pretense of stopping them. They help.

Russia is using Belarus to pressure Europe. "Is it dependence, or the feeling that working alongside the 'master' will bring wealth and success? This is the path Belarus has chosen," Belitšev said.

Organized crime generates substantial profits

Human trafficking is the preserve of organized crime, and it is highly profitable. The authorities in Russia and Belarus take a cut.

"If you think about someone using the migration route through Belarus to reach Europe, it is not simply a matter of buying a ticket to Moscow and arranging the rest yourself," Belitšev said. Criminal organizations handle the whole journey. Each person pays €5,000 to €10,000.

On Tuesday, news emerged that the PPA had caught migrant smugglers red-handed. "Figuratively speaking, it is impossible to stop any pattern of criminal activity without cutting off the heads at the top," Belitšev said.

The main tactic is to detain them, hold them in custody and bring them to trial quickly. Where possible, criminal proceeds are seized. In mid-September, a court sentenced a convicted smuggler to seven months in prison and a six-year ban on entering the Schengen Area.

Local governments and administrative courts not accustomed to workloads

The PPA is under considerable pressure, but has not yet had to leave tasks undone. "However, many other institutions are also affected by the migration attack," Belitšev said.

Many arrivals claim to be minors, attempting to exploit EU child protection systems. That creates problems for local governments, which are responsible for guardianship. The first-tier administrative courts are also unaccustomed to such heavy workloads.

Belitšev said the situation could get more complicated in winter, when migration pressure has usually declined. Few people want to hide in Belarusian forests in sub-zero temperatures.

"Our advantage is that we have four seasons," he said.

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